Top Pink Fountain Pen Inks
As an avid blue ink lover, pink isn't usually my go-to color, but after this ink showdown, I've got to say, I'm a bit smitten! I decided to put 10 popular pink fountain pen inks to the test, categorize them, and then pick my favorites. It was a journey of patient play-testing and passionate pondering, all to find the pinnacle of proper pink penmanship performance.
For this showdown, I used Tomoe River 52gsm white paper, a Rohrer & Klingner glass pen, and a Kakimori dip nib for consistent testing. I also broke down the pinks into three categories: pastel pinks, hot pinks, and red-pinks.
The Hot Pinks
Diamine Hope Pink
When I think of a classic, vibrant hot pink, Diamine Hope Pink immediately comes to mind. This one came out strong, a truly iconic bubblegum pink, reminiscent of a breast cancer ribbon. It's incredibly bright and consistent.
Sailor Ink Studio 131
Another strong contender in this category was Sailor Ink Studio 131. Janéa, our resident pink queen at Goulet Pens, absolutely loves this one, and I can see why! It's a straightforward hot pink, very vibrant and a good rival to Hope Pink.
Jacques Herbin 1670 Fuchsia de Magellan
Jacques Herbin 1670 Fuchsia de Magellan also made it into my hot pink category. This one has a subtle shimmer, which I find very classy. The bottle itself is a work of art!
After much deliberation, my winner for the hot pink category has to be Diamine Hope Pink. It's just that classic, bright bubblegum hot pink that I think of as a true hot pink.
The Pastel Pinks
Robert Oster Rose Gilt Tynte
Robert Oster Rose Gilt Tynte is a shimmery pastel, leaning towards a purpley mauve. It starts dark but lightens beautifully as the shimmer comes through.
Jacques Herbin Rouille D'ancre
Rouille D'ancre, which translates to "rusty anchor," is a surprisingly popular ink for its subtle, dusty pale pink. It's a strong shader and has been with us at Goulet Pens since 2009!
Pilot Iroshizuku Hana-ikada
Pilot Iroshizuku Hana-ikada is a newer addition to the Iroshizuku lineup. It's a lovely rose pink, borderline between a pastel and a hot pink. It's beautiful, though it might be a bit light for extra-fine nibs.
Pelikan Edelstein Rose Quartz
My absolute winner for this category, however, was Pelikan Edelstein Rose Quartz. This was their ink of the year from last year, and it's crazy how it looks green in the bottle but writes as a beautiful pink! The shading and subtle purpley outline as it dries are really cool.
The Red-Pinks
Diamine Pink Glitz
This category was a bit of a curveball, with some inks leaning more towards magenta. Diamine Pink Glitz was a shimmer ink that I expected to be a strong red-pink. While it's a nice color, I was a bit let down by the lack of prominent shimmer.
Organics Studio Unicorn Blood Pink Shimmer
Unicorn Blood Pink Shimmer was definitely a magenta, despite my initial categorization. It's a vibrant color with what looks like a goldish shimmer, and while it's interesting, it didn't quite blow me away.
LAMY rhodonite
Finally, LAMY rhodonite really shined in this category. It's more of a fuchsia, leaning towards a red-pink, and it has some beautiful sheen that comes out as it dries. My pick for the red-pink category is definitely this ink. The sheen is really cool and fun, and it's a perfect reddish pink that isn't obnoxious for everyday writing.
Final Ranking
So, there you have it! My personal favorite pink inks from this showdown are:
- Diamine Hope Pink for the hot pinks
- Pelikan Edelstein Rose Quartz for the pastel/rosy pinks
- LAMY rhodonite for the red-pinks
These are all popular colors, and honestly, I was really impressed with all the pinks in this lineup. I'm liking pink a lot more than I thought I would! If you're curious to try any of these, I highly recommend grabbing some ink samples before committing to a whole bottle. It's the best way to get a feel for the ink on your own paper. Write on!
